Shakib becomes fastest to 200 Test wicket, 3000 runs double

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CHATTOGRAM, Nov 24, 2018 (BSS)- Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan become the first player of Bangladesh to take 200 Test wicket also the fastest to complete the double of 3000 runs when he gave his team the first breakthrough in West Indies’ chase of a 204-run target at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Saturday.

The left handed all rounder completed the feat in his 54th appearance, just one less than English legend Ian Botham.

Shakib required one wicket to complete his 200 wickets in Test cricket before the start of Windies’ second innings, where the visitors were set a target of 204 runs to win the first Test.

He opened the bowling on course to defend 203 against Windies. He got his reward in his second over when Kieran Powell came down the track on his first delivery he faced. Wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim made a successful stumping to take the first wicket of the run chase. Powell became the first batsman to be stumped on the first ball.

Shakib has taken 18 five-wicket hauls and two 10-wicket hauls in his career so far, with his best match figures coming against Zimbabwe in Khulna in 2014, when he had match figures of 10 for 124. He had also made a first-innings 137 in that game. His second 10-for, against Australia last year, came in a game in which he had made a gutsy 84 in the first innings.

Shakib’s best bowling figures in an innings was the 7 for 36 he had taken against New Zealand in Chattogram in 2008, the day after then coach Jamie Siddons had said Shakib was the bowling leader after Rafique’s retirement.